This morning we’re in John 8, and we find this provocative story about a woman caught in adultery. Every so often you will come across verses in your Bible and find asterisks that warning, warning Will Robinson, “These verses aren’t included in the earliest, most reliable manuscripts.” John 8:1-9 is an example. The end of Mark 16 is an example. The phrase in the Lord’s Prayer, “and thine be the glory for ever and ever AMEN” is an example.
For any aspiring Bible geeks out there, there is a whole field of Study called “Textual Criticism.” Textual Criticism is an effort to ascertain the most reliable Biblical autographs. When archaeologists come upon some cave, (like they did with the Dead Sea Scrolls), or some ancient Monk’s lair (in the case of many NT texts), and they find some ancient scroll… they can discern its origin, geography, and “family.” It makes sense if you think about it. Textual evidence that can be dated earlier, and originated from a place nearer the Middle East, are treated as more authentic.
So, our text this morning didn’t appear in early manuscripts. The early Church fathers for instance know all about John 7, and John 8:12ff. If you subtract this text, it seems apparent John 7-8 flow together better. But do not be alarmed Will Robinson. The case isn’t completely closed on these verses. There is evidence that this story was passed down with the gospels. Somewhere along the line someone decided to just make it part of John 8. And someone else dropped it into certain manuscripts of Mark’s gospel, and another person into Luke’s gospel!
Don’t worry the Bible wasn’t a vast right wing literary conspiracy. There is just a very small number of texts in all the OT and NT that are disputed (<1%).
John 8:1-6a, “At dawn he went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them.
3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. 4 “Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. 5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So, what do you say?” 6 They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him.
For the past seven chapters, gospel writer John has been building the case that Jesus is One greater than Abraham, Jacob, even Moses. Next week the train is going to go off the rails when Jesus announces that He is the personal God who introduced himself to Moses as, “I AM.” The scribes and Pharisees (the very first “cancel culture” warriors) were working double overtime to cancel Jesus.
When you are threatened by someone, and want to destroy their reputation, no price is too great to pay. What does the truth matter (even Biblical truth) when it favors your adversaries? The scriptures are the Father’s testimony about me… Moses wrote about me… my words, deeds, life, the signs & miracles are all pointing to one conclusion. You search the Scriptures (none more than the scribes and copyists, and Pharisees who taught Moses) but you won’t recognize or accept the Father’s Scriptural testimony and come to me for life!
Or what does the broken life, of an unsuspecting Jewish woman matter, when you are a murderous, power hungry male Jewish leader? When you desperately want to kill someone—as badly as they did Jesus—no low is too low. So, in John 8 the Scribes and Pharisees catch a woman in the very act of adultery and march her to the temple courts where they know they can find Jesus teaching. They say, “Hey Jesus… look at this low-life piece of human trash we caught. In the law Moses says we stone her! But what do you say?”
At the risk of being gratuitous, I must say something. Whenever you are leader and people come after you, it’s hard. It’s expected, but it’s hard. But when people try to destroy someone who’s vulnerable, to score points, its enraging. I’m not saying I am Jesus. But when you’re willing to destroy the truth, or destroy a person’s soul, you’re a special kind of nut job and no friend.
In John 8:6, as they accuse Jesus it says, “Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger.” People speculate about what Jesus was writing in the dirt. But maybe Jesus is just trying to keep his cool. It’s not just what they’re willing to do to him, it’s what they’re willing to also do to this woman. You have to call upon the Spirit of the Living God in such moments. Truly.
But Jesus quickly sniffs out their plot. Their case is shoddy. First, they say this woman was “caught in a sexual act.” She undeniably was. But how many people does it take to commit adultery? It takes two to tango. So where is the man? According to the law, both should be stoned! Second, if they were aware this adultery was likely to unfold, why did wait and let it happen in the first place? They had a moral obligation (and indeed compassion demands), that they speak up to turn a person from sin. Why did they let it unfold? They were complicit. Third, why are they marching into the temple courts (early in the morning), instead of into the Sanhedrin (later in the day when they typically met). The Sanhedrin would be the proper venue for such a charge. These people have no interest in a trial, nor this woman. What they really want is to trigger a mob lynching to cancel Jesus.
Let us talk about their plot. A hot button political topic back then, as today, was the death penalty. There was the means of death—stoning or strangling. There was the arbiters to administrate death—whether the Roman state, or Jewish authorities, or Elders, or people. There was the warrant for death—for example, violating Moses law, blaspheming against God. Oh, how badly they wanted to find a warrant to kill…not so much this woman… but Jesus!
They already thought they had Jesus on the ropes when Jesus healed that man on the Sabbath. Jesus did “work” on the Sabbath. No, Jesus did “a work” on the sabbath… a miraculous work. He probably didn’t exert an ounce of energy or shed a drop of sweat. Never mind “a healing” could only be accomplished by God Himself, at God’s approval. Their hysteria was misplaced and case weak.
But now they’re salivating again. If Jesus requires her stoning, we can paint Jesus as an insurrectionist or perhaps a misguided zealot to the Roman authorities. The Roman’s forbid the Jews from doing capital punishment. When they wanted to crucify Jesus, the Jews had to bring him before Pilate, and Jewish authorities first. “Just give the word Jesus, we’ll indeed stone her, and the Jewish authorities will be breathing down your neck.”
But also, if Jesus requires her stoning, it will destroy his favor with the common people. They’d already sensed Jesus’ compassion and forgiveness. And the common people (as is the case in most every culture and age) tilted toward tolerance and mercy. They understood the layers of brokenness that fed into people’s sin. They understood their own need for mercy and grace. The crowds preferred to leave this woman (and others like her) alone. “Just give the word Jesus, we’ll stone her, and the tide of public opinion will turn on you. Cancel culture!”
But also, if Jesus relents from having her stoned, we can paint him a light-weight. We already have him on the ropes for healing on the Sabbath. Obviously, he was light on the law, in conflict with Moses, doing miracles on Sabbath. “But if you won’t spill blood as Moses commanded, we know you’re no Moses, we know your ministry isn’t a continuation and fulfillment of his!”
By the way, in the early church adultery was tantamount to homicide and apostasy. For certain church fathers, sexual sin was so heinous as to be unforgivable. You can see why someone in the 3-4th Century Christendom might slide this story into the middle of the gospel of John, or Mark, or Luke. How monstrous men can become, when they smell a little blood in the water. They were a Christ-hating, witch-hunting band, of misogynists hell bent on killing. No mercy.
John 8:6b-7, Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. 7 When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.”
You didn’t have to be sinless or morally perfect to bring up charges against someone. By that standard, no one ever would. But if you did witness a crime, and successfully proved your accusation, you were to throw the first stone. In this way, if you have a false accusation, or if you entrapped some poor soul, their blood would on your conscience. But Jesus spices up the requirement by saying, “Let the one without sin among you” throw the first stone. What does Paul say in 1 Corinthians 1:25, “the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength”
John 8:8-11, “Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. 10 When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”11 “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”
This story harkens back to John’s introduction of Jesus in John 1:16-17, “Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from his fullness, for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” It also harkens back to John 3:17, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
You know we have a very difficult line to toe, as did Jesus. The gospel is like a three-legged stool.
• First, we must contend with “true truth” and the “full truth.” Jesus exposed the true murderous and adulterous character of the crowd that day. And neither did Jesus refute the charge against this woman.
• Second, we must contend with “true mercy” and “full grace.” That is, we should ask in light of the truth, what does mercy require. In Matthew 9:13 Jesus says, “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
• Third, we must contend with “true Lordship,” “true freedom.” Mercy, isn’t a ticket to continued sin or licentiousness or adultery or sexual sin. Nor is mercy hollow tolerance. Nor is mercy cheap. Only the true Lamb of God—the one who stoops to the ground, to take our penalty of sin—has the authority to truly say, “your sins are forgiven. Neither do I condemn you. Go. Sin no more.”